


Good Boy

by EzraTheBlue



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: A little spooky, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Animal Death, Animal Traits, Animal Transformation, Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, Domestic Fluff, Gen, Human Experimentation, Mild Blood, Mild Gore, Transformation, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:22:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27197086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzraTheBlue/pseuds/EzraTheBlue
Summary: Prompto has a secret. He's hidden it for as long as he could, under a black wristband and behind closed doors. However, one fateful day, he wakes up with blood on his hands...And his secret claws its way to the surface.(Werewolf!Prompto AU)
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia & Prompto Argentum, Gladiolus Amicitia & Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum & Ignis Scientia, Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 101
Kudos: 138





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> It's the Werewolf Prompto AU nobody asked for! 
> 
> Happy birthday to our favorite boy. I aim to post each chapter of this week between today and All Hallow's Eve. 
> 
> The mild gore and animal death tagged are minor and come later.
> 
> Special thanks to Callie for beta reading, and for the wonderful folks who have helped me out with this! I'll be sure to credit them chapter by chapter!

**1: Prologue**

A shameful secret. That was how he’d always understood it. Something to be whispered about and never spoken aloud, never put into words Prompto could say, never to even be approached. If ever it got out, the world would surely shatter to pieces around him. His parents had made him cover every sign of it, and their downcast eyes and harsh conversations where Prompto could never hear told him everything he needed to know.

It was like a bastard in the family tree - don’t talk about it, hide as much as you can, conceal any evidence, and for Heaven’s sake, don’t look at the roots. He didn’t want to know. 

He had learned that there were risks to it. He didn’t need to see evidence to know the danger, even the hypotheticals were enough - and the few things that slipped through the cracks of his tight control that made his parents angry and ashamed were enough for him to figure out how bad it could be. Limits had been put into place, then restrictions, and finally, confinement became the only option. Prompto, aware of his shame, the danger of his existence, understood. If he couldn’t control it, or _when_ he couldn’t control it, sealing it away was the right thing to do. 

He had a system. It had worked this long. He’d survived sixteen years like this; all he had to do was make it the rest of his life, right?

It was after one of his episodes that he came to and discovered how very, very wrong he was.

The first thing he noticed was the pain in his head, a soreness in his joints like he’d been put through the washer on the rapid spin cycle. His belly was sore, too - ugh, the next few hours were going to bring misery, because nothing ruined his quality of life like three days without his stomach medicine. Then again, none of this was anything new after one of his _episodes_. The quilt drawn up to his chin, tattered, smelly, and far too thick, made him feel disgustingly warm, and he miserably kicked it off, and grimaced to find he was naked underneath. Well, no shit, right? He sat up and groped to find something to throw on and hide his stretch marks - 

Only to see blood on his hands.

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/185425540@N02/50528632857/in/dateposted-public/)

_No._

He moaned, turning his hands over as if it might vanish if he blinked enough, but no. Dried red-brown from fingertip to elbow, over the barcode on his wrist - his wristband had come off, because of course he needed to have that staring him in the face first thing in the morning! - but as his breathing quickened and he looked around for some evidence of his innocence, he spotted his reflection in his bedroom window and the blood streaked across his forehead. 

“No, no, no!” He scrambled to his feet, but just as he made for the door, _of all things_ , Ignis came through.

“Prompto, are you-”

_“What are you doing here?!”_

The words tumbled out unbidden, knocked out of him like he’d taken a blow to the chest and they’d been forced from his lungs, and Prompto scrambled back to the bed, knees buckling when he reached it. He had to hide it, he had to conceal everything, he had to make sure he didn’t hurt anyone, he had to make sure his secret stayed that way - “Why are you here?! How did you get here?!”

Ignis held his hands out and said something Prompto couldn’t make out in his panic, as the sight of Ignis’ hands reminded him: 

“Oh, gods, did I hurt you?! I hurt you! Did I hurt you?! Please tell me I didn’t-”

Ignis shook his head, hands still extended. “No, you-”

“I - did I - you’re in my -” Ignis was _here_ , he must have seen _everything_ , the evidence was all over the house - did Prompto bite him, or get him with his claws - did Ignis know? What would Ignis do to him?! _Did he hurt Ignis?!_

“I’m so sorry!” Those were the last words Prompto could string together, tears coming to his eyes, pressed from him with the sheer volume of terror weighing on him. “Who did I hurt? Please tell me I didn’t kill anyone!”

Then, Ignis was sitting beside him, slotting against him, and he’d woven his fingers into Prompto’s hair. “Shh. Shh,” he hushed, making soft, gentle noises, and pressed his long, knobby fingers into Prompto’s scalp. He clicked his tongue and kept stroking his hair and shushing Prompto until the tension sank out of him, and Prompto slowly deflated into Ignis’ chest.

Ignis was petting him. He _knew._

But he hadn’t run away yet. 

_Why not?_

“I can answer all of your questions, and to your satisfaction,” Ignis told him in steady, sure tones, neutral like he was reading council notes, gentle like a mother soothing a child. “Are you prepared to listen?” 

Prompto nodded, tears still streaming from his eyes. Ignis turned his chin to look in his face, somehow still smiling even in the face of this horror.

“Good boy. Now, I assure you, there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation to all of this. May I begin?”


	2. Ignis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto's taken ill - as he so frequently seems to - and Noctis asks Ignis to take Prompto his missing schoolwork. However, Ignis has no idea that he's about to stumble onto Prompto's deeply-held secret.

**2: Ignis**

Noctis had Prompto’s homework and a spare set of notes for the second day in a row, and Ignis furrowed his brow when he saw Noctis, scowling into his backpack and sorting his notes from the copied pages at the kitchen table. He set aside the briefing he was reading to peer over at Noctis’ school work, and then at Noctis’ plainly apparent dismay. “I take it your Friday evening video game binge will be solo tonight?”

“Guess so.” Noctis pulled a face and tucked his originals away, then began to leaf through Prompto’s. “He’s been sick the last two days. Hasn’t even texted me once.”

“Strange, for him.” Ignis couldn’t suppress a discomfited frown. Prompto was irrepressible - enthusiastic, cheerful, genuine. Once one got familiar with him, he was a chatterbox; always something to say, always something on his mind. After knowing him for nearly a year now, Ignis was rather familiar with his quirks and charms - and Prompto was rather charming - and for him to be completely unresponsive for more than a day or two, especially to Noctis, was very, very strange.

Noctis, however, shrugged. “Seems like this happens every few weeks. He gets a stomach bug or a fever, misses a few days of school. He texts me when he gets sick and I don’t see him at all until he’s better.”

“Does he have a weak constitution?” Ignis cocked his head, curious but befuddled. Prompto seemed healthy as a horse - he ate better than Noctis, anyway, devouring his vegetables with gusto. Ignis had learned he was a runner who jogged a few miles every day and more on the weekends, and nothing about his appearance or demeanor suggested ill health.

Noctis just made a noise that sounded vaguely like “I don’t know,” then stopped in the middle of his stack. “Oh. Oh, shit.”

“Crown in the swear jar.” Ignis pointed at the jam jar on the counter, and as Noctis griped and stormed over to the jar to put a coin in, he peered at the page. It was an exam study guide for Advanced Lucian Language Arts. “A study guide?”

“L.A. is Prompto’s weakest subject. It totally slipped my mind that we had a test on Monday, and he’s gonna be screwed if he doesn’t have his study guide.” Noctis returned to the table, brow knit up. “I know I probably shouldn’t go over to his place if he’s sick, but do you think you can go and take it to him?”

Ignis didn’t hesitate. “I can.” He scooped up all of Prompto’s homework. “I’ll take him a container of my chicken soup, as well.”

“Cures all ills.” Noctis smiled, and it was only a little sarcastic. “Thanks, Specs.”

That was how Ignis ended up driving halfway across Insomnia with a frozen plastic container of chicken soup and a folder of homework, to Prompto’s apartment building. He’d had the address from Prompto’s background check, but neither he nor Noctis had ever visited before. Prompto had always insisted that Noctis’ television was much higher quality, and his home wasn’t especially prepared to host company. Ignis found his apartment, a garden-level corner flat, and knocked on the door with a few sharp raps.

“Prompto? This is Ignis. I’ve brought your homework; can you come to the door?” 

Ignis thought he heard a noise from within, but there was no response. After a minute, nobody had come to the door. He knocked again, louder this time. 

“Prompto? Can you respond? Text message?”

“You need something?”

That had not been Prompto, but the voice of an older woman who sounded like she swallowed her cigarettes after she finished smoking them. A middle-aged woman in sweatpants and curlers leaned over her balcony above and to the left of Prompto’s apartment, her cigarette ash wafting towards the concrete below. She scowled down at Ignis, clearly sizing him up. “You know the Argentum kid?”

“I do, yes.” Ignis put on his servant-facing-public smile, exactly sincere enough to hopefully encourage cooperation. “Would you happen to have a spare key? It’s my understanding he’s ill, and I had hoped to bring his homework.”

She pulled a face. “I don’t have his key, no. But when you get to him, tell him to shut his dog up.” She flicked her cigarette butt off of the balcony and vanished back into her apartment. 

Dog? Prompto had never mentioned owning a dog.

Ignis’ curiosity was truly piqued now. He also had no intention of leaving until he was quite satisfied, both that Prompto would be well soon, and also to investigate this mysterious dog.

He circled to the back of Prompto’s apartment, and sure enough, there was a sliding glass door that let out onto a little concrete porch. There were a few stubby little yellow flowers in green plastic pots and Prompto’s running shoes next to the door, confirming it was his. Ignis was just about to peer in to see if he could spot Prompto inside, but as he leaned up against the door-

_BAM!_

The biggest, fluffiest yellow dog Ignis had ever seen slammed into the glass, rattling the entire wall. Ignis yelped and dodged back six paces, gasping as the dog tore back into the darkened apartment. Ignis pushed right back up against the glass for a second look, unable to believe it. 

And he’d been wrong.

That was not a dog. That was a _wolf_. The snout was too long for any kind of dog Ignis knew, the teeth too sharp, the muscles defined and the whole body shape unusually narrow, rangy and wild. The wolf had blood on his paws and head now, but Ignis noticed the fresh streak of blood on the glass door - had it just scraped its head open when it had thrown itself on the glass?

But the blood on its paws! 

_Prompto!_

Ignis jimmied the lock on the sliding door with his credit card and ran inside, but he didn’t even make it two steps in before the wolf threw itself at him again - 

Only to pounce him to the ground and enthusiastically lick his face.

That was not what Ignis had expected. 

Ignis sputtered against the puppy kisses, but didn’t even try to stop it. He should have tried to - there were teeth around that tongue, after all, and what if the thing was _tasting_ him? Still, when the animal ceased its affections, Ignis could see it panting with an eager, playful look like any dog greeting its master, and the wolf made no move to attack him. He managed to get out from under the beast and shut the glass door to ensure the potential suspect couldn't run off, then rushed a few steps into the house.

“Prompto?” He called, and the wolf’s tail wagged even harder but there was no response. Ignis looked around what was surely the main room of the apartment, and saw huge gashes on the walls, like the beast’s claws had torn through, and those were streaked with blood - the wolf must have broken through the wall while romping, and hurt itself in the process. Even more curious, there were patches in the wall that had clearly been spackled over, similar shapes to the open gashes in the drywall covered in plaster. The sofa, too, was shredded in places, likely by the wolf’s claws catching on the fabric, but just the same, there were hand-stitched lines of similar gashes holding the cushions together. The den opened into an eat-in kitchen, and when Ignis peered in, he saw that there were no dishes in the sink and no trash in the canister, but there was an automatic dog feeder and a jumbo refilling water dish. Ignis found a bag of dog food on the top shelf in the pantry. The wolf had begun romping around, chewing on one of Prompto’s throw pillows, and fortunately, it appeared that the pillow and the walls were the only things truly damaged. 

At least the blood seemed to be injuries the wolf had inflicted on itself. There were no signs of Prompto being savaged, dragged across the floor, or torn to shreds. The trouble was that there were no signs of Prompto at all.

Finally, Ignis went into the back room, what looked to be Prompto’s bedroom. His bed was empty, but the quilt was torn and tattered and the whole room was a disheveled mess; the papers on his desk knocked off, books and collectibles toppled from the shelf, and - 

Prompto’s school uniform in a mangled heap on the ground at the foot of his bed. 

Ignis inhaled sharply and knelt to examine the rags that were once Prompto’s school clothes, but the tears were strange - not especially shredded, and ripped at the joints and seams instead of randomly. There was no blood.

The wolf had not torn these off of Prompto, rending them from him and gnashing at his flesh. Rather, it seemed more like he’d burst out of them. 

Almost as if...

Ignis inhaled, then called: “Prompto?” 

The wolf rambled through the apartment and stopped at Ignis’ feet, tail wagging, panting, big blue eyes gazing up at him. 

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/185425540@N02/50538804752/in/dateposted-public/)

Oh, _Six._

Ignis turned, still crouched, then got on his knees and scratched Prompto behind the ears. “Hello, Prompto.” He examined the gash on his head, and Prompto whimpered a little. “Oh, you poor dear.” He led Prompto to the kitchen with a beckoning hand and a few clicks of his tongue, and dampened a paper towel, but the moment Ignis came near Prompto with it, Prompto whined and bolted back to the other end of the room. “Come back here, let me wash you off!”

After a few fruitless minutes chasing Prompto in an effort to clean his injuries, Ignis gave up and threw the paper towel away. He got on his knees again and opened his arms, revealing that he no longer had the accursed moisture, and Prompto ran right back to him, and Ignis rubbed him all over. He could at least comfort the poor creature.

“You’re going to be alright,” he told him. He had no idea how, but he was going to make it so. 

Ignis sent Noctis a text message after deleting four drafts. He had debated trying to explain the situation to Noctis, but finally settled on, _“I’m going to stay with Prompto to take care of him.”_ It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t Prompto’s truth. There was surely a reason that Prompto hadn’t told Noctis, after all - this was clearly no surprise to Prompto, he’d planned for it by putting out a dog bowl for himself, for Six’s sake - and it would be Prompto’s duty to explain, in his own words, what was going on. However, Prompto wasn’t doing much more than barking and howling right now, and whining whenever the injury on his face stung. 

Ignis would like the explanation himself, but he was fine waiting for it. Noctis replied to his text with a thumbs-up emoji, so Ignis was satisfied with not making superfluous excuses.

He warmed the soup up as he picked up some of the shredded fabric and swept the broken drywall off of the floor, and let Prompto lap it out of the container once it was just hot. While Prompto was drinking, Ignis fashioned Prompto’s school tie into a makeshift collar and slipped it around Prompto’s neck, then hooked his belt through it to make a simple lead. 

“Can you be a good boy while we run a few errands?” he asked, almost hypothetically - Prompto came when called, but the lead and tie were a holdover at best. Either way, he was reluctant to leave Prompto behind, and this was the best he could do. 

Prompto tugged on the lead as Ignis walked to the nearest pet store his GPS could locate. There was nothing Ignis could do for the blood on Prompto’s paws and he feared for a moment that the two of them might appear suspicious or out of place, but he had long since learned that the best way to appear to fit in somewhere was confidence that one belonged there. Ignis put his shoulders back, straightened his neck, and told himself: he was just here to get his puppy a treat, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with that or his puppy. He nonchalantly browsed the aisles with Prompto sniffing around left and right, barking at a photograph of a cat in one of the in-store advertisements, and trying to take toys from the bins, as Ignis selected a can of quality wet food, a few rope toys and the largest marrow bone he could find. If the clerk had noticed anything amiss, he didn't say anything, distractedly loading Ignis' tote without a stray look at Prompto's gleaming teeth. Ignis, still smiling, carried the tote on his shoulder and walked Prompto the long way back to his apartment.

Prompto needed to be fed a proper meal and to get all of his energy out. Ignis tried to imagine an intelligent animal cooped up in that shoebox of an apartment for most of the last three days, and found the thought utterly unbearable. 

Prompto was content to romp around with his rope toys, intermittently running up to Ignis to encourage him to tug. Ignis was trying to research wolf diets, behavior, and checking his work emails, but he would always set aside his phone to grab onto the rope with both hands when prompted. Prompto’s eyes lit up whenever Ignis took hold, and he’d playfully growl and tug harder. One time, Ignis managed to get the rope from his hands and Prompto yowled, then barked until Ignis threw the rope, sending him skittering across the linoleum to catch it. Ignis then returned to his research. He knew a little about dogs and wolves, but he would need to know much more.

Then, when the automatic food dispenser went off again, Prompto stopped playing and ran for it. Ignis recalled the kibble, and hurried to intervene. Ignis tutted Prompto from the bowl, chiding and tsking him until he shrank back with his tail between his legs and his ears flat. Shooting Prompto a few glares he didn’t at all mean sincerely, he took the bowl and added a few spoonfuls of the canned wet food. He frowned as he saw just how little kibble had come out, and how Prompto dove in to devour every bite as if he’d never eaten before in his life, let alone four hours ago.

After eating and another long walk, which Prompto spent lunging at squirrels who surely had no idea what was coming and barking at stray cats, Prompto settled in beside Ignis on his own tattered sofa. Ignis tuned the television to an inoffensive baking competition to give the room a few extra human voices, then unwrapped the marrow bone and let Prompto chew on it as he, one hand on his phone and the other scratching Prompto’s hind leg, continued to research while absentmindedly listening to the television. He needed to know how much wolves needed to eat per day, their sleeping and waking cycles, their social needs, and just what kind of wolf Prompto was. (Surely he had to be some kind of wolf; there had to be some explanation for what Ignis knew as a young man inexplicably _becoming_ a wolf.) Before he knew it, the night had become late, and Prompto let out a deep sigh as he released his bone and tilted his heavy, fuzzy head against Ignis’ leg. Ignis glanced outside to see the sun completely gone and the moon shining through the faint haze of the wall.

The full moon. 

Ignis inhaled sharply, and was about to begin some cursory research on lycanthropy, but Prompto whined softly and nudged Ignis’ leg with his nose, then shifted his whole body against Ignis’ thigh. Ignis looked at Prompto, blinking slowly and breathing deeply, and gave him a nudge of his own.

“Wake up.” He lightly jostled Prompto until Prompto growled, flashing teeth, and Ignis instinctively recoiled. Prompto responded with a whine, ears going flat, and Ignis made a peace offering, the back of his hand, which Prompto first sniffed, then licked. “Don’t you want to sleep in your bed?”

Some recognition shifted in Prompto’s eyes, and he heaved himself to his feet, claws clicking on the floor as he traipsed back to his bedroom. 

Ignis watched as Prompto curled up on his wreck of a bed, and when he’d settled again, he piled up the quilt over his furry back, then moved for the door. Prompto whined again, and Ignis stopped in the doorway, glancing back. Prompto was gazing at him, pleading, and Ignis knew what he wanted. He sat beside Prompto again and ran his fingers through the fur on the back of his neck and spine until Prompto settled again, his eyes slowly falling shut.

Then, finally, Ignis let out a long breath he’d been holding, and shut the bedroom door. He looked around again at the mess of Prompto’s flat, the ruined walls and scratched floors, the destroyed sofa, and then at everything that wasn’t there. He felt the urge to scream, but stuffed it down like every other reaction he didn’t think would do him any good. 

He had stemmed the tide for the moment, but the work had yet to truly begin. However, all he could do for now was drag himself to sleep on Prompto’s sofa and wait for Prompto to wake, and hope it was the Prompto he knew rather than the one he’d never known existed until today.

* * *

“You turned back in the wee hours, when the moon waned,” Ignis concluded. “I admit, I slept rather shallowly, and checked on you in the night. I do apologize for not cleaning you once you had returned to your human form, but - erm.” Pink flashed across his cheeks before Ignis cleared his throat and the flush faded. “You were quite naked, and I thought it better not to interact with you while you were asleep, unaware, and unable to consent to being touched.”

“Wow.” Prompto couldn’t even summon the words to thank Ignis for everything. He’d seen Prompto at his worst and hadn’t run for the hills or called in the Crownsguard to deal with him. He’d stayed with him. How long had it been since someone had stayed with him when he wasn’t himself? Ignis, meanwhile, approached with a fresh set of clothes, but Prompto took his hand. “And - you’re sure I didn’t hurt you?”

“You did not.” Ignis spoke with the even, sure kind of calm that made Prompto want to put his tail between his legs for even asking. However, Ignis smiled. “You acted precisely as one in your situation might be expected to. You growled once or twice, and while you were rowdy when I exercised you, you were as good as you could have been expected to be. Harming me was clearly the furthest thing from your mind.” 

Prompto bit his lip, and began trying to muster up the next thing to say - to express his gratitude, to assemble some sort of apology, to choke out an explanation - but before he could, Ignis took a seat on the edge of his bed. 

“I must ask, it seems as if you have a bit of a system for yourself, but you seem to be missing some essentials, and we’ve got a few immediate concerns.” Ignis picked up a little first aid kit from the side of the bed, along with a bottle of antibacterial cleanser, some cotton balls, and a few bandages, all lined up and ready. “Your hands, please.” Prompto obeyed, and Ignis began to clean his arms off, revealing tiny cuts all over his forearms that stung as Ignis dabbed the blood away. The cotton ball swiped over the barcode, and Prompto flinched, but Ignis didn’t even notice. 

“You… you must want to know what’s going on,” Prompto rasped, but Ignis shook his head.

“All of that can wait.” Ignis dabbed some antibacterial gel onto a few of the larger cuts, then patched them with bandages. Then, he moved to Prompto’s forehead, and Prompto winced a little as Ignis cleaned off a cut in the center of his forehead. His scalp was tender, but Ignis’ touch was careful and gentle. Finally satisfied, Ignis folded his hands. “I’ve got some questions.”

Prompto flinched, and squeezed his eyes shut. “Shoot.”

“Where are your toys?” 

Prompto’s eyes flew open with shock. “What?”

“Toys, Prompto.” Ignis said the word with a heavy finality. “I purchased you some, but you had none of your own; no balls, no tug toys, no chew toys, no ropes, _nothing_.”

Prompto’s jaw fell slack, and he barely managed to choke out, “I - uh… never… thought…”

“Do you arrange for someone to come and walk you?”

“Uh.” Prompto had never thought of that either, and he had no idea what to think now, either.

Ignis, expression mild but faintly frowning, shook his head. “I was concerned about that. You need enrichment.” He gestured to the bruised and shredded drywall. “No wonder you’re tearing up the walls and furniture; you’re bored.”

Prompto sputtered indignantly for a moment, but Ignis moved right along: “And then there’s the subject of your automated feeder. Your feeder is dispensing an inadequate amount of kibble for an animal your size. You need at least twice that! And what’s worse, it’s not even quality kibble.”

“Uh.” Prompto tried to come to terms with Ignis saying the word ‘kibble.’ Also, not freaking out _at all_ about Prompto eating kibble. 

“I understand that it’s likely a well-advertised brand,” Ignis went on chiding him as if Prompto weren’t gaping at him like he was speaking Gralean in reverse, “but it’s loaded with artificial ingredients, and the first ingredient is _corn._ Wolves are primarily carnivores. You need meat.” 

Prompto was still lost for words, but now, Ignis gazed into his face. “Are you alone when you transform? For the entire time?” This time, Prompto was able to muster up a nod, and Ignis’ frown shifted as his brow furrowed with genuine worry. “Wolves are social creatures,” he said, gently and kindly, and Prompto’s chest just _ached_ at the thought. “You need company. If not others like you, then at the very least someone you trust.” 

Prompto hung his head. “I… I couldn’t…”

“If you’d like, and forgive me if I’m assuming, I’d be happy to spend the next full moon with you.” Ignis put his hand over Prompto’s, and Prompto’s stomach sank through the floor and straight to the core of the planet.

“But - I’m dangerous -”

Ignis held up a finger and shook his head. “You’re dangerous left to your own devices, perhaps. However, you come when called and walk well on even a weak lead; you’re really just an understimulated puppy. I’d rather watch over you and be certain of your safety, and besides, you deserve to enjoy your romp.” He smiled warmly, as if he were really just agreeing to puppysit. “You can trust me. I’ll take care of you.”

Prompto couldn’t help it. The thought of having someone with him when he couldn’t control himself felt so good that the relief of it sent tears rushing to his eyes. “Yes, please,” he whispered, the swell of emotion crushing his voice, and Ignis offered him a tissue. 

“It will be my pleasure.” Ignis’ kind smile shifted towards business. “For now, let’s handle the aftermath of this transformation.” He stood up and clapped his hands together. “By my estimate, you have about twelve hours to study for your exam tomorrow, and three and a half weeks to decide how you wish to explain this to Noctis.” 

Prompto laughed through his tears, wiping at his eyes. He looked at the backs of his hands, now clean and patched with bandages, then picked up his wristband from the pile of clothes Ignis had left for him. His secret might have been out, but maybe it wasn’t the end of the world. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art in this chapter by my good buddy [Godspoison!](https://twitter.com/Godspoison) Check out their Etsy, they have some adorable charms and standees!!


	3. Noctis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto tells Noctis the truth, and Noctis must decide how to approach this new situation.

**3\. Noctis**

Noctis had never been invited to Prompto’s apartment before. He’d asked a few times, but Prompto said his TV was way smaller and he didn’t really have space for guests, and Noctis was fine with hosting. It seemed odd that Prompto would invite him out of the blue, and invite Ignis too - but then, Ignis didn’t seem at all surprised.

“Is something going on?” Noctis asked as Ignis ushered him to the car. 

Ignis shook his head. “I’m certain Prompto will explain when we arrive.” 

That wasn’t an answer. Ignis was as good at not answering questions as he was at actually answering them. That meant something was up, that Ignis knew what it was, and Noctis didn’t like that Ignis knew something Noctis didn’t. Especially something about Prompto.

Ignis seemed to sense Noctis’ discomfort, and smiled reassuringly from the driver’s seat. “It’s something Prompto has to explain.”

Noctis could settle for that. If it was a Prompto thing, then Noctis would actually really rather hear it from him than from Ignis. Ignis would just send him a memorandum like Ignis’ council meeting notes. 

Prompto lived on the bottom corner of a large housing complex, on one of the apartments with outside access. Ignis, carrying a tote bag he’d had with him when he came to wake Noctis up, seemed mildly wary of the lack of security - Noctis could see him looking around - but he knocked on the door. Prompto answered a few minutes later, wearing a smile weaker than bad tea. 

“Hey, Noct! Glad you could make it. Um, sorry about, y’know, pleb apartment.” He stepped aside to let Noctis in, and Noctis shook his head.

“I’m sure it’s fine.” Duh, he knew not everyone lived like he did. That was one of the reasons he wanted to go to public school. He wanted to know what everyone else was like, how they lived. Prompto was no different - scratch that, Prompto _was_ different. He was a common person, but he was one of Noctis’ favorite people. He’d wanted to see how Prompto lived.

Prompto’s apartment was smaller than Noctis had expected - just a kitchen with a tiny table and one chair, a little den with a two-person sofa and a modest television with a Gamestation in a cabinet, a hallway to one side leading to a bedroom, a glass sliding back door that looked out onto a lawn. Did Prompto live alone here? He mentioned parents, but also said they worked out of town. It seemed weird that there didn’t seem to be a place for them here. 

Noctis couldn’t help but notice that the sofa had an interesting pattern as he sat on it - random-looking stitch lines all over it. Kind of neat. Had Prompto redecorated himself?

Prompto poured water for Ignis and Noctis, and Ignis brought in the chair from the kitchen so he would have somewhere to sit. Prompto sat on the sofa beside Noctis, eyes low, fidgeting with his hands on his knees. 

“So, um.” He cleared his throat, trying and failing to sound official (because of course not, he was just Prompto, after all). “I have something to tell you.”

“Shoot.” Noctis studied Prompto, who was as nervous as Noctis had ever seen him, not the first time Prompto had introduced himself, nor even the first time Prompto had approached him and Noctis had clumsily frightened him off. “Anything.”

“Okay.” Prompto sucked in a breath, exhaled slowly, then said in a rush: “I’m a werewolf.”

Noctis’ jaw dropped open. Okay, that had not fallen in the realm of “anything” he’d been prepared for. He twisted around towards Ignis, who gave a curt nod, expression serious. Oh, shit. 

No way. 

“Is… is this a joke? It’s not Spring Fool’s Day-” 

“Noct, I’m sorry.” Prompto put his head in his hands and grasped at his scalp. “I wish I’d told you sooner - I know it must be hard to believe -”

“It’s-”

“Noctis,” Ignis interrupted, quiet but insistent like a closing door. “Prompto has no reason to lie about this, and as unreal as it may seem, it’s true.”

Reeling, Noctis very nearly registered another protest. Then, he looked back at the shredded sofa, and when he lifted his eyes, he noticed a fairly fresh patch of plaster across the drywall above the sofa, then noticed other off-color patches all around the room.

“How…” Noctis swallowed twice. “How long?”

“I’ve known since last month,” Ignis replied, dulcet but straightforward.

“No, how long since…” Noctis dared look back over at Prompto, whose hands were laced and squeezed tight, knuckles white. “You…how long have you been-”

“As long as I can remember,” Prompto mumbled. “I’ve… I’ve always been like this.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “I… was rescued from some kind of lab as a baby.” He reached for the wristband he always wore, gripped it for a moment, then yanked it off to reveal a barcode. Noctis inhaled sharply, inflating with the fury. 

“What the hell?!”

“I don’t know what they did to me,” Prompto added in a rush, “but it’s… it’s ruined me. I’m a monster. I’m sorry I didn’t-”

“That’s not true!” Noctis grabbed his hands. How could it be?! This was Prompto! Prompto was one of the most decent people Noctis knew! Ignis intervened with a touch to Noctis’ hand, and Noctis realized that he was gripping Prompto’s hands tight.

“Noct, let him talk.” He then lifted his gaze to Prompto. “You are human, and a dear friend. Your condition does not make you a monster, not in the slightest.” He exhaled slowly, and Noctis got the sense that the two of them had gone through this conversation a few times already. Prompto swallowed, throat working, and pulled his hands back. Noctis noticed him fishing for his wristband, even as Ignis added, “That mark on your arm means nothing to anyone who matters.”

Prompto shook his head. “It… it must mean something. I just don’t know what.” He squeezed the wristband as he pushed it back into place. “But. Um. The… the werewolf thing.” He sucked in air and exhaled hard a few times, his hands shaking. “I… I’ve been changing since I was a baby.

“My parents, they told me, I was rescued from Niflheim.” Prompto swallowed twice. “It’s… it’s confidential, but you’re in the government, so, like, it doesn’t matter, right?” He lowered his head, shoulders around his ears. “They didn’t get all the details either, but my dad had some sort of clearance and knew, like, enough that they trusted him with me, and they gave my parents, like, monthly payments or something to take care of me. Because I was _changing_ then.” He glanced out the window, as if he could see something, but all Noctis saw was a blue sky and an expanse of grass.

“Every month, when the moon is full - or, like, when the moon is at _just_ the right angle? - I turn into a wolf.” Prompto hung his head again, staring first at his feet, then holding out his hands and staring at his palms. “And, like, it was fine when I was a baby.” He choked a laugh out. “I was probably even kind of cute, then. But then I got bigger.” He hiccupped out the last word. “I was easier to handle when I was little, but when I got bigger, I could do a lot more damage. I would break walls-” He gripped his own knees. “I’d tear furniture up. They would scold me and yell at me, but I was a _wolf_ , I didn’t understand or remember any of that. So they’d shut me in the basement-” He hiccupped again, and Noctis reached out and grabbed his shoulder.

“Dude.”

Prompto took a few breaths. “I’m. I’m okay.” He scrubbed his face with his palm, sucked on his lower lip, then went on, softly, “The basement… I destroyed that pretty quick too. So, they got me my own little place. Guess the Lucian Bureau of Investigations was giving them a lot, right?” He motioned around them. “It used to be they’d just, y’know, leave me here at ‘that time of the month,’ check on me once a day or whatever, and left me here ‘til I turned human again.”

“How old were you?” Ignis’ voice was soft, but remarkably unruffled for the deep furrow set in his brow. Prompto’s knuckles went white on his thighs.

“Ten.” 

Noctis squeezed Prompto’s shoulder. “Seriously?!” 

“But. Like. It was fine. They left plenty of food, and all.” Prompto motioned to the automatic dog feeder in the kitchen. “And then I got to go home. Except.” The silence that broke that thought was so jagged that Noctis nearly flinched, as Prompto hung his head. “That was when they started traveling a lot more for work, and one month, they just gave me bus fare to get over here and showed me the route, and, like, they were never home anyway, so I just started... living here all the time.” He motioned around at the walls. “I could, y’know, fix things up? Probably gonna need to try to get the security deposit back, if I ever move out. And, um, it’s closer to school anyway. I… I put up posters so it’d be, like, my little bachelor pad, but I used to tear them down.” He ran his hands over his face. “And, so, like, when I’m sick and not in school? I’m here. Being a wolf.”

“Alone,” Noctis murmured, a chill running through him. He tried to imagine being left alone in his apartment for three days. He would have torn the walls up too, and he wasn’t a wolf. Even when he didn’t have to leave the house, Ignis would come and cook for him, Gladio would come hang out just for the hell of it, and Prompto was always just one text and a bike ride away. And Prompto _was_ a wolf, and likely way less able to actually _rationalize_ his loneliness when he was transformed. “Hey. About. About being a wolf.” He leaned forward to look at Prompto’s face, trying to imagine him with teeth, claws, a wet nose: “Are you, you know, a whole dog?”

“Wolf,” Ignis said, as quietly and evenly as before. “And yes. Approximately forty inches at the shoulder, with a full golden coat. He’s quite an elegant creature, really. However, wolves and dogs are not all that especially different.” Ignis then picked up his tote bag and began to unload it. “Tomorrow, correct? I’ve been minding the calendar, and based on the details you gave me, you’ll be transforming at approximately two-forty.” Noctis watched as Ignis unloaded a large rope toy, some extra-large, extra-durable chew toys, a huge, double-strapped harness with a heavy-duty leash, and a frisbee that advertised being made of recycled tires. Prompto actually flushed as he looked at it.

“Is this for me?”

“It is. Like I promised.” Ignis faced Noctis, as serious and sobered as he had been. “Noctis, I fear I will be taking three days of leave. I promised Prompto I would stay with him.”

“You will?!” Prompto still sounded surprised. 

“Yes.” Ignis smiled warmly towards him, and Noctis felt - jealous? Frustrated? Left out? - Noctis wasn’t sure, but he didn’t like it. “I’ll stay with you, exercise you, play with you, and keep you company. The only time you’ll be alone is for me to go out and purchase you fresh meat.” 

“You’re going to leave him alone?!” Noctis realized it just then - he couldn’t stand the thought of not being part of this, and he wasn’t going to be responsible for Prompto being alone when he could do something about it. “No way!”

Prompto gasped and looked at him, wide-eyed.

“You’re not going to be alone anymore, alright?” Noctis turned and grabbed both of Prompto’s hands. “Ignis, you’re not going to spend your vacation days on this. I’ll come here with you. And you’re not going to leave him alone. You can stay with him if I have to go to school, and I’ll stay with him if you have to leave!”

Noctis held Prompto’s gaze, like he had the first time they’d locked eyes, when Noctis had wanted nothing more than for someone to reach out to him and be his friend. Prompto had been willing to reach across the divide, and Noctis, who knew, in retrospect, that he’d been lonely for years, hadn’t cared at the time who it was as long as they only wanted him for him. He’d just opened his dumb mouth and said the wrong thing and sent Prompto skittering for the hills, and they lost years of friendship for it. Not this time.

“This whole time I’ve known you, you’ve been a werewolf?” Noctis squeezed Prompto’s fingers tight and whispered fervently, “That is literally the coolest thing _ever.”_

Prompto gazed into his eyes, the shock plain on his face, and Noctis tugged him closer. “I love dogs, and wolves are basically just big dogs, right? And... you’re my best friend. So I’m gonna be here for you.” 

“N-noct…” Prompto’s fingers shook even with Noctis holding them in his. “You’re sure?”

“Hell yeah.” Noctis grinned. “You’re gonna be man’s best friend for a few days, and I’m your man.”

Across from them, Ignis laughed through his nose, and the worry in Prompto’s eyes finally broke as he laughed.

“Okay, okay; but.” He glanced at Ignis. “Promise you won’t let me hurt him?”

“You won’t.” Ignis was smug and satisfied, and Noctis realized Ignis had expected this. Intended this. Knew exactly what Noctis would say, and Noctis didn’t know if he wanted to kill him or kiss him for it. “I told you, and as you will surely show Noctis, you’re a very good boy.”

Noctis didn’t need proof or care.

* * *

The next day, Ignis and Noctis arrived in the early afternoon, and Noctis sat down to play video games with Prompto as they waited for the hour to turn. As the minutes ticked closer to three, Prompto began to twitch and fidget, and soon he couldn’t focus on the game, missing moves, forgetting to hit the buttons. Realizing what was happening, and that Prompto probably didn’t have the capacity to put it into words, Noctis paused it and put his controller aside, and Prompto immediately stood and began to urgently pace, tension in his clenching fingers, tremors running down his back. Ignis had busied himself cutting meat from a large Garula primal, and he washed his hands and hurried over to Prompto as he paced and panted.

“Prompto, listen to me. It’s time. Would you like me to help you undress so you don’t ruin your clothes?”

Prompto gave a jerky nod, and Ignis helped unbutton his shirt and loosened his tie. Noctis took the tie, but as he did, he noticed the muscles in Prompto’s back twitching and shifting, his spine starting to arch. His breathing came heavier now, ragged, _pained_ , did it hurt? Did Prompto even know? Prompto’s mouth shifted, teeth bared, and he doubled over. Ignis took a step back, still hushing and soothing Prompto, as Prompto let out a roar and fell to hands and knees. His whole body shifted, arms and legs hunching as his bone structure changed, warping his body at unnatural angles, and Noctis winced in sympathy, but couldn’t make himself reach out, too afraid that his touch might hurt him even more.

Noctis watched from where he stood as Prompto’s hands gnarled, and fur burst from his knuckles and covered them, then rushed up his arms. Claws poked through the fur, and the rest of his body elongated and twisted on the floor. Prompto’s pants tore straight through the thighs, seams popping open as his legs turned into haunches, and his tail extended outwards. In hardly minutes, Prompto had gone from an average guy into a huge golden wolf, and now swayed unsteadily on his paws, shaking his head. 

Taking a knee beside him, Noctis studied him. His fur was mostly the same color as his hair, maybe a tiny bit darker around the brows but that could have just been the furrows in his face. His eyes were blue, unusually bright - like no dog Noctis had ever seen, anyway. He braced himself, then extended a hand.

“Hey. Uh, good boy. How are you feeling?”

His fingers just brushed into Prompto’s mane - the fur was surprisingly soft - and Prompto turned, his whole large body swaying as he shifted. His claws clicked on the floor, his mouth parted, revealing long, sharp, bright white teeth - 

Then a panting tongue. A big puppy smile. And Noctis grabbed the rope toy.

“Wanna play, boy?”

Noctis remembered playing with Pryna when he’d visited Luna. Umbra wasn’t the type to play, but Pryna couldn’t get enough of fetch, and she always brought the ball right back to his wheelchair. Prompto was not nearly so good at returning the ball as he was at retrieving it, but there was a whole big expanse of park behind Prompto’s building for him to romp in, so Noctis had time to strategize when he threw the toys. Prompto would run for the frisbee and bring it back, and Noctis would then throw a different toy so Prompto would get distracted and drop it and Noctis could get the frisbee and throw that next. Prompto fetched for an hour, then pawed at the door until Noctis let him in and got his rope toy, and then the two of them played tug-of-war until Prompto was well and truly tired. 

Even then, he curled up next to Noctis on the couch with the Anak knuckle Ignis had gotten him. He lazily gnawed it as Noctis took up the Gamestation controller again, hitting the A button with his thumb while rubbing Prompto’s side with his free hand. 

True to his word, Ignis prepared a dog bowl fit for a king - fresh, raw meat, chopped fine and dotted with a few minced carrots and peas. Prompto ate it all messily and noisily as Noctis tried to pick the carrots and peas out of the meat pie Ignis had made for him. As Prompto had but one chair, Ignis ate standing at the counter with his plate in his palm, right at Prompto’s side. Ignis didn’t complain, but Noctis was already planning to get a few more chairs. 

He was going to make the werewolf flophouse the best werewolf flophouse a wolf could ask for.

Ignis forced Noctis to sit and do his homework while he put Prompto’s harness on, deftly fitting it around his broad chest (ignoring Prompto’s token growls as he tugged the straps into position), and hooked on the lead. Prim, dignified Ignis took chaotic-good-boy Prompto on a long walk around the neighborhood. They made for a sight.

When Prompto got back, he was already tired again, and perfectly happy to cuddle up between Noctis and Ignis on his tiny sofa, crushing the two of them into the arms. With a shared glance and a tacit agreement, Noctis continued his game and Ignis took a packet of memos from his suitcase to highlight them. They each lifted their elbows to make room for Prompto to have as much space as he cared to, so he could toss and turn, belly up and tail still wagging, or nuzzle down between them with his butt halfway up the wall and his forepaws hanging off of the sofa. It was Prompto’s home and sofa after all, he could do what he liked with it. 

Whenever Prompto was belly-up, Noctis made sure to give it the occasional scratch. It was the least he could do.

After a while, however, Prompto got up, disrupting both Ignis and Noctis, and they watched as he hopped to the floor. His claws clicked in a drumroll tempo against the linoleum, and Noctis twisted his neck around to see him padding towards the bedroom. Prompto, too, had looked back around at them, big blue eyes wide and wanting. Noctis knew. He knew that look.

“You want someone to tuck you in?” He got to his feet and followed Prompto to his own bedroom. 

The bedroom was a mess, but then again, Noctis knew his room would be about the same if Ignis didn’t come in to pick it up sometimes. One of Prompto’s posters were torn, and his tail knocked a few things from the desk as he traipsed in and began to tug the quilt around the bed. The quilt was a mess, stained and warped, with a few claw tears, and Noctis could see why as Prompto used his teeth to yank it around, then jumped onto the bed and scraped at it with his paws to get it just the way he liked it. He settled into the bed with a huge _whuff_ of air, sprawling out across the bed, forepaws out in front of him, rear legs splayed. Noctis marveled at his meaty drumsticks, tempted to poke the muscles, before he realized Prompto was whining. 

“You need some company, pup?” He was already swaggering to the bed. Ignis caught his arm before he could lay down.

“You are still a human and must brush your teeth.”

Noctis almost bit Ignis himself, before scuttling off to change and get ready for bed. 

The scene of Ignis running his fingers through Prompto’s fur when Noctis returned was almost too sweet to interrupt, but Noctis, with his teeth brushed and dressed down to his pajama pants and a tee, stumbled in regardless. Ignis’ ministrations stilled, and he patted Prompto’s hind leg. 

“There you are. He’s all yours.” Ignis stood to trade places with Noctis, shifting himself back and away to give Noctis room, and Noctis stretched out alongside Prompto. Prompto’s body was a furnace, so Noctis didn’t want to tuck himself in. He just pulled Prompto’s pillow under his head and cuddled up next to Prompto. 

Noctis buried his hands in Prompto’s fur and shut his eyes. “G’night, Iggy.” 

“Good night, Noct.” 

There was a faint keen, and Noctis slowly lifted his head to see Ignis frozen in the door as Prompto’s chest heaved, and he let out a few more plaintive whines. Noctis could just imagine the look on Prompto’s face - that whine reminded him of how he’d felt as a lonely kid, wanting to crawl into his dad’s bed. 

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/185425540@N02/50528796551/in/dateposted-public/)

“Wolves usually have packs, right?” Noctis asked softly, and he could see Ignis relent, in the way his shoulders dropped and his face fell. 

“Let me brush my teeth.”

Ignis stretched out on Prompto’s other side, buried one hand into the fluff on his side, and sighed. He was likely preemptively annoyed that he would smell like wolf in the morning, but Noctis didn’t really mind. What was most important was that Prompto settled in, whuffing out a low, deep breath, his long body wiggling to make contact with Noctis and Ignis as much as possible. He sighed again, his spine sinking and his body seeming to flatten out; that sigh said “I belong _here"_ as well as words ever could. 

Noctis understood, and kept stroking the soft fur down Prompto’s spine, losing himself in the weft of long, silken hair. “He thought he was a monster,” Noctis whispered. “He’s not. He really is just Prompto.”

Noctis didn’t have to see Ignis’ wry smile to know it was there. “I knew you would say so.”

Prompto was a good boy. Noctis would come and watch him every month, play with him, teach him commands and rub his belly until he fell asleep at Noctis’ side, if that was what it took to convince him of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art for this chapter by [CommanderBoxers!](https://twitter.com/CommanderBoxers)


	4. Gladio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto is reluctant to tell Gladio his secret, but the more people who know a secret, the harder it is to keep it...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for mention of animal death/gore.

**4\. Gladio**

The debate was carried on almost constantly for three weeks, in whispers in the cafeteria, in hushed tones in Noctis’ kitchen, or in near silence, only in raised brows and hidden scowls, when Gladio was around. It was a plain fact that of their little band of four, Gladio was the only one who wasn’t in on Prompto’s secret.

And Prompto wasn’t at all keen to let him in on it.

“He’s a soldier,” he told Noctis one day, when the calendar still showed the moon waning. “He’s your Shield, but he’s gone out and fought actual monsters outside the wall, right?”

“Like once.” Noctis rolled his eyes. “And you’re not a monster.” 

“Yeah, you think that, but - you know it’s me, when I’m like that.” Prompto shrunk down over his lunch box. (For some reason, Ignis had been sending lunches for him with Noctis’.) Noctis just reached over and punched him in the shoulder. 

“And so will he, when you tell him.”

The moon was waxing when he admitted to Ignis, “It’s new, having people know. I had to keep it a secret for years, it was the only thing I knew.” He swung his legs under Noctis’ kitchen table, gripping the tea Ignis had poured for him in both hands. “I always felt like, if someone knew, they’d rat me out to the ‘Guard or call the authorities. Like, I knew they knew, but I was afraid that if more people knew, they’d have to get rid of me.”

“That isn’t the case.” Ignis put one hand around Prompto’s. “I reviewed your background check and there were censored details, but nothing about this. I imagine that if your condition were a threat, we would have been notified.”

“But that was when you thought my parents were controlling me! It’s just me now, and you guys.” Prompto bit his lip, worrying it so much he thought he might chew it straight through if his anxiety got any worse. “It was a secret for a reason, wasn’t it? And Gladio - what if he doesn’t take it well?”

“I’m certain I’ll be able to talk him through, explain it to him.” Ignis squeezed Prompto’s hand, then released it. “We’ll help.” 

“Besides,” Noctis interrupted as he entered from the hall, and Prompto winced when he realized he’d probably heard the whole conversation. “The longer we hold out, the more suspect he’s going to be of the whole thing.”

Prompto moaned and pushed his tea away, flattening his face against the table. “I know.” Noctis mussed his hair.

“C’mon. He won’t like not knowing, especially if he does pick up that we’re holding it back from him.” 

“I know! I know.” Prompto turned it over in his head, lifting his chin. 

The thing was, Prompto liked Gladio. He was a big brother type, dependable. He teased, and he let Prompto tease him back. He would stand up for them when someone was giving them shit at the arcade - and that included when it was just someone pushing Prompto away from the coin changer. He was so cool - Prompto had gone to his training sessions with Noctis, and seeing him swinging his huge sword around like it was nothing was pretty badass. He moved amazingly.

Prompto sometimes imagined Gladio hefting that massive sword and bringing it down towards him, like he was just another wild animal posing a threat to his Prince.

“Can we… can we wait a little longer?” Prompto grimaced and looked between Noctis and Ignis. “Just to make sure this whole arrangement is going to work, with you guys keeping me company.” 

Noctis just rolled his eyes, but Ignis cleared his throat. “It’s your truth to tell,” he said, “and it’s not our job to determine who you let into this part of your life or when.”

“Don’t even think we’re giving up on you, though.” Noctis sat down across from him, then leaned in and bumped his head against his. “We know you’re not dangerous. There’s absolutely nothing you - or wolf-you - could do to change our minds.”

Prompto grinned and bumped Noctis back. “Thanks.” 

That was the last they spoke of it, until the moon waxed full.

* * *

Gladio wasn’t into superstitions, and he usually rolled his eyes when people blamed their misfortunes on them. “Must be a full moon,” one Glaive said to another as they left the training ring, one with an arm in a sling, and one with a limp. For once, Gladio wasn’t entirely prepared to disagree.

Full moons had been treating him kind of funny lately. 

First, Ignis had been absent from Noctis’ place for a night. Ignis was _always_ there. Noctis had called to do the security check-in with him for the first time since he’d gotten the apartment, explaining that Ignis had gone to stay with Prompto because Prompto was, apparently, sick as a dog. 

Weird.

Then, the next full moon, Noctis had skived training and didn’t even have a good excuse: “I was hanging out with Prompto.” 

Gladio made sure to train him extra hard the next day - _teach him to make shitty excuses._ He could hang out with Prompto anytime, “but this time is _our_ time, you hear that?”

Noctis had avoided his gaze, too focused on his hundredth push-up, as Gladio waited for the next fifty with his arms crossed. That had been the end of the conversation for the day. 

He loved Noctis, really. Gladio would die for the rotten little brat, and not just because it was his job. He was a good kid who needed a strong hand and some firm guidance. Gladio could handle that.

Prompto was another story. He wasn’t responsible for Prompto, generally speaking, but when he was around him, the kid made him laugh, and he cheered Noctis up when he needed it most. When Gladio did spend time with Prompto, he was a lot of fun, cheerful and friendly. He flinched from Gladio sometimes, and Gladio got it - he wasn’t a small guy, he was intimidating, he definitely posed a threat to anyone who might hurt Noctis - but it still stung a little that as close as Prompto had gotten to Noctis and as well as he got along with Ignis, Prompto still shied from him. 

Gladio got the sense that Prompto wasn’t close to a lot of people, for how friendly he was, which was a shame. Gladio liked to think that he was the kind of person who could make friends with basically everyone. Prompto might have just needed more time, and Glaidio wanted that time. 

That was why it was disappointing when Noctis sent a text, _“I’m having a sleepover at Prompto’s, no hangout tonight.”_ Noctis had never done that before. He’d never seen Noctis go to Prompto’s before, because Noctis had the biggest television and all the newest game systems, and Noctis had Ignis to make them gourmet meals. Prompto was, for lack of a better word, a salt-of-the-earth common man. Still, Gladio didn’t need to hang out with the crew whenever they gathered up. He was fine at home with a book and a bottle.

Even so, it was weird.

“Must be the full moon,” he found himself saying as he got outside, and adjusted his hat over his cropped hair. 

He would have gone home, but just as he reached his car, he got a phone call from Noctis. Weird had just gotten weirder. Noctis didn’t call unless he was in trouble.

The ringtone didn’t have a chance to repeat before Gladio picked up. “Yo, Noct, where are you?”

_“Prompto’s. I need you to come over.”_

Gladio raised an eyebrow. “Is something wrong? Are you okay?”

 _“I’m fine - just -”_ Noctis grunted like he was struggling with something, and there was a jag of noise in the background. Did Gladio just hear Ignis? What was Ignis doing there?! _“We need your help. It’s Prompto.”_

Prompto? Gladio’s back straightened. “Is he okay?”

_“I mean. Mostly. But we need help. Look, just come over, okay? I’ll text you the address.”_

“Noctis-”

_“Listen, you’re not going to believe me unless you see it in person, and I wouldn’t be calling you if it weren’t a serious issue. Please just come over and help me out.”_

Gladio groaned. “Fine. Fine. You need anything?”

There was a beat of silence. _“Bring a swimsuit. See you soon.”_

The line clicked as Noctis hung up, but Gladio heard another loud noise off of the receiver just before the connection died. 

What the hell? Maybe there actually was something to this ‘full moon’ bullshit.

* * *

Prompto’s building was… quaint? That was probably a good word for it. It was an older brick apartment high-rise with balconies on the upper levels. The brick facade was worn down in a few places and mossy around the bottom. It was about what Gladio had expected. Prompto had a corner unit on the first floor, and Gladio walked right up to the door and knocked.

He heard a shout from inside: “It’s open!”

However, as Gladio was about to turn the knob, someone yelled from above him: “HEY!” Gladio craned his neck around to see a woman in a nightgown and sweatpants at four in the afternoon scowling down at him. “You a friend of that kid’s? Tell him to shut his damn dog up!”

“Sure, whatever.” Gladio rolled his eyes. Prompto didn’t have a dog; he would have seen ten-thousand pictures of them by now if he did. Noctis and Prompto probably had the volume on whatever movie they were watching up way too high. Hopefully that was the most trouble he had today.

Then, Gladio cranked the knob and opened into a scene of chaos - Ignis and Noctis wrangling what looked like an enormous monster wolf, forty inches tall and easily one hundred and forty pounds. Gladio saw blood on its teeth and back, and it let out an ear-piercing wail and dug its claws - huge, black, and very sharp - into the wall, shredding the plaster. 

Gladio didn’t hesitate. He pulled his sword from the Armiger and charged in with a battle cry, and Ignis saw him a second later and released the enormous wolf to put himself between Gladio and Prompto.

“For Heaven’s sake, put that thing away! He’s no threat to us!”

“That’s a monster!” Gladio snarled, until he realized the moment Ignis had let go, the wolf had gotten the upper hand on Noctis. Noctis lost his grip on the wolf’s thigh, and the wolf reared up - then ran to hide behind the patchy, shredded sofa in the den. Noctis groaned and chased him.

“Get back here, Prompto!”

Gladio jerked to a stop. “Prompto?”

Noctis turned around, glaring at him, then whipped back around towards the wolf, who was cowering and trying to stuff himself into the space between the sofa and the wall. “This is why I told you to tell him!” He turned around to Gladio again. “I was just letting him run in the park, and since he’s pretty good about coming when called I thought I’d let him off-collar.” Noctis rolled his eyes. “Then, he spotted a rabbit, and he just tore off, snatched it, snapped its neck-” Gladio gaped as he tried to reconcile the giant yellow wolf with wispy little Prompto, then tried to imagine Prompto snapping _anything_ more sturdy than a rubber band. Noctis, however, was gesticulating - “He just ripped it open and pulled its guts out, then rolled in it. It’s _so_ gross.”

“He’s a wolf, Noctis, it’s what wolves do.” Ignis rolled his eyes. “I’d be more surprised if he didn’t manage the occasional kill on wild animals. I consider myself fortunate he doesn’t register us as prey.”

“Well, yeah, because it’s us.” Noctis crossed his arms. “Anyway, Prompto’s going to be really upset when he finds out what he did, so the least we can do is help him get the blood off so he doesn’t wake up with it all over him.”

“Hang on, hang on.” Gladio cringed and waved a hand. None of this was adding up. “Look, where’s Prompto?”

Noctis raised an eyebrow and pointed at the yellow wolf. Gladio studied the dog, who was whimpering and clawing its way behind the sofa, then crept closer and peered back there. No Prompto, just the wolf, cowering down as low as it could. 

From behind him, Ignis heaved a sigh. “I wish that Prompto could have told you himself, but unfortunately, he is indisposed. You see, it’s a full moon.” 

There was a discontented whine from under the couch, and Noctis groaned in response. “Come on, Prompto.” 

The wolf poked its head up and shot Gladio the most pathetic look a creature that size could muster. Gladio cocked his head, and Noctis let out a sigh. “We’ll explain, but can you help us wash him first? We can’t get him to stay in the shower.”

Gladio stripped down to his swimsuit, then examined Prompto’s stall shower. There was a bottle of dog shampoo waiting, and the water was already running warm, but it’d be a tight squeeze for him and the dog. No wonder Ignis and Noctis had been struggling - it would take the two of them to get the wolf in the stall and keep him there, let alone actually scrub him down. 

However, he was bigger than Prompto, and when Ignis and Noctis ushered him into the bathroom, Gladio crossed his arms and faced him down like he was squaring off in the arena. “You’re gonna be a good boy,” he told him, then got down on his knees to scoop him up.

Prompto growled, lip curling back over huge, bright white teeth, and Gladio snarled right back. 

However, Ignis snapped his fingers. “Prompto, _behave.”_

The weight in that command sank onto Prompto’s back, and he flattened, ears pressed down and back against his head, and he turned the big blue puppydog eyes onto Gladio. 

“That’s not going to work on me, either.” He took a knee and scooped Prompto up, one arm looped under his corded, powerful thighs, and a hand bracing his back. Then, he stepped into the running shower.

Prompto squirmed and wailed, his claws scratching against Gladio’s bare chest. Gladio yelled, but held Prompto tighter. “Hold still,” he hissed, trying to sound commanding through his annoyance. Prompto didn’t listen - because wolves didn’t speak Lucian, of course - but he was trapped against Gladio’s chest and in his tight grip. “You got yourself messy, what are we gonna do, let you run around with guts in your fur?!” He managed to clamp down on Prompto’s shoulder blade and pressed his chest against his shoulder, tucking Prompto’s head against his neck. Prompto finally gave up and slumped there, still whining but not struggling nearly as much. Gladio freed a hand and extended it towards Ignis and Noctis. “Soap me.” Noctis poured a huge dollop of dog shampoo into his palm, and Gladio combed his fingers through the worst of the mess in Prompto’s fur and spread it around.

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/185425540@N02/50528477776/in/dateposted-public/)

Prompto still seemed discomfited by the spray of water on his face, and Gladio shifted position to keep his head out of direct contact with the nozzle. He rubbed the soap in and worked up a lather, picking out little bits of _something_ Gladio was probably happier not examining too closely. “You didn’t mean to get dirty, did’ja,” he said in what he hoped was a soothing voice to a wolf. “You were just doin’ what wolves do, right?” It sure wasn’t Prompto. Gladio wasn’t confident Prompto could hurt an egg salad sandwich on a good day, let alone actually kill anything. “You’re nothing but a big dumb puppy.”

Prompto whined softly, and Gladio chuckled and turned to put Prompto’s back under the spray, then ran his fingers down the fur on his lower back. “Was it fun, at least? Did you howl for all your wolf buddies?” He imitated a howl, “Ow-ow-AWOO!” 

Prompto tipped his head back and answered, surprisingly loud but steady. Gladio laughed, the noise echoing against Prompto’s howl, as he continued to scrub the gunk from Prompto’s fur. He didn’t miss the way Ignis and Noctis traded little smiles. 

Ignis and Noctis trapped Prompto to towel him down as Gladio rinsed himself off in the shower. He dragged his fingers across the claw marks across his belly, then looked over at Prompto, who still looked impressively pathetic for his size as Noctis rubbed the water out of his ears and scrubbed the towel down his back. He stepped out once he’d finished sponging himself clean, and Ignis offered him a towel as well. It was all so oddly domestic, like they were just washing the family dog, and from Prompto’s pathetic whining, it still felt like it to him, too. He wrapped the towel around his hair and squeezed, then faced the other two. 

“Alright. Where’s that explanation?”

Ten minutes later, Gladio was holding one end of a rope toy and staring dumbly between Ignis and Noctis as they finished telling the tale. Prompto eagerly tugged on the other end of the toy, his claws skidding and slipping on the tile as he failed to make purchase. 

“No way,” Gladio finally said, despite the evidence staring him in the face in its big-blue-eyed, furry-faced glory. “You’re saying he just changes.”

“I watched him last month,” Noctis muttered, arms crossed tight across his chest. “It’s crazy. His bones move under his skin. The fur just bursts out of him.” 

“And he’s - like this-” What even did he call this? Prompto sure didn’t look like any wolf Gladio had heard of, and he definitely didn’t seem like the movie or book werewolves. “He’s like this, two, three days?”

“Approximately fifty hours, from my observation.” Ignis pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “The moon has to be at a rather precise angle to Eos, and whenever the moon is in that position, whether or not it is visible, Prompto transforms. He reverts back when the moon moves along.” He turned towards Prompto, whose hackles were raised, haunches up, but there was delight and mischief in his eyes, and not even a hint of malice. Noctis finally let go of the toy, and Prompto flopped on the ground and began to tear chunks of it out. Ignis knelt down beside him and patted his left flank. “He’ll be back to himself tomorrow morning before breakfast, by my estimate. I’ll have to invest in a more accurate astronomy chart.” 

“Yeah?” Gladio got down too, in front of Prompto. Prompto growled, showing teeth, but Gladio just scrunched his ears in his hands and squished them around on his head, eliciting a few complaining little whines and one snap of his jaws. “Mind your manners, mutt.” He put his nose against Prompto’s, and Prompto actually licked his own. “Yeah, you ain’t trouble, are ya?” He craned his neck back around to Ignis. “He’s not causing any problems, but you know how dangerous an animal like this could be, right? Look at the teeth. Look at the claws.”

“I don’t care.” Noctis had said that, and Gladio glanced up to see his arms crossed. “It’s just Prompto.”

“If we can’t manage him,” Ignis added quietly, “who can?”

Prompto let out a loud, plaintive whine, and when Gladio turned back towards him, Prompto licked his nose again. Gladio sputtered, then laughed. 

“Okay, fine, fine. You’re not so bad.”

Gladio watched Noctis and Ignis handle Prompto’s routine with all due curiosity, as Noctis played with him until he was tired, then Ignis fed him and ran him in the park behind the apartment building. Gladio took the opportunity to haul Noctis outside to the stretch of lawn outside of Prompto’s sliding glass door and do some hand-to-hand drills. However, their drills came to a halt when Prompto, his lead trailing behind him and Ignis running to catch up, launched himself at Gladio and toppled him to the ground. 

“Hey! You little asshole!” Gladio gripped the grass under his palms to keep from striking Prompto - it was both an animal and Prompto, he wasn’t going to hit a civilian, Crown Citizen, or a dog, for Six’s sake - but Prompto pinned him with his paws on his chest and barked at him. “What do you want?!”

“I’m okay, Prompto.” Noctis patted Prompto’s backside, and Prompto spun about, eyes bright again, and got off of Gladio. Ignis jogged to catch up, panting for breath.

“Apologies. I believe he saw you attack Noctis and-”

“And played guard dog.” Gladio sat forward with wonder. “Have you tried to teach him any commands?

Ignis furrowed his brow. “We’ve only known about his condition for two months. Three, in my case. We’ve not attempted it yet.”

“I bet he could learn.” Gladio rubbed his chin. “Bet he’d make a damn fine attack wolf, if we taught him right.” He watched Noctis playing with Prompto, dangling a treat over his head and jerking it out of Prompto’s jumping height as he snatched at it. Ignis merely hummed.

“That’s a conversation you may want to have with Prompto himself.”

That night, the four of them piled onto Prompto’s double bed, Ignis and Noctis on either side of Prompto and Gladio seated up at the head of the bed with Prompto’s head on his leg. Gladio had meant to stay awake to watch over the others, but he drifted off after a long while spent watching the steady rise and fall of Prompto’s chest. 

He woke when he felt the weight on his leg shifting, and opened his eyes to see Prompto’s wolf form twitching. His fur disintegrated like dust and fell away from his skin, bones jerking and twitching, shrinking and stretching, his whole body reshaping. It was unnerving, and when Prompto’s face rested in a nearly-human form, he was obviously pained. Gladio grimaced and leaned in to pat his shoulder, as if to reassure him that he wasn’t in pain by himself. 

“It’s gonna be alright. You’re still you,” he told him in a soft voice, and Prompto finally relaxed, his skinny frame naked between them, shivering in the open air. Gladio yanked a shirt from the floor and laid it over Prompto’s chest, and a moment later, Prompto opened his eyes.

“Wh- Gladio?” 

“Me.” Gladio crossed his arms, then put a finger to his lips, and spoke softly in an effort to indicate Prompto should do the same. “Turned out the guys needed help when their pet wolf rolled in a dead rabbit.”

Prompto bit his lip, but Gladio motioned. “Put the shirt on. I try not to have serious conversations completely naked.” 

Prompto looked down, let out an undignified squeak, then hurried to yank the shirt on. Gladio motioned for Prompto to sit closer, and Prompto scooted up to the head of the bed with him. “So. Got something to tell me?”

Prompto grimaced, then drew his knees in and put his chin between them. “Uh. Let me start by saying I was gonna tell you, I just hadn’t figured out how. It wasn’t gonna be like this.”

“Well, might as well say it straight now.” 

Prompto heaved another sigh, then turned to face Gladio, expression plaintive. “Promise you won’t get mad?”

“I’ll do my best.”

The moment Gladio saw the barcode, he was, in fact, very, very mad. 

“Godsdamned Niffs,” he growled between gritted teeth, fists clenched tight against Prompto’s rumpled quilt. Prompto cringed, but Gladio grabbed his arm. “Not you. You’re good. You’re Lucian. But that they would do… that… to a _baby._ Fuck, I’m sick as hell.” He threw his head back, thumping it against the wall. Prompto winced, but gingerly removed Gladio’s hand from where it gripped his forearm.

“I know. I don’t like it either. But it’s my life, y’know? And I’ve made it this long.”

“Yeah. And hey.” He sat forward and craned his neck to look Prompto in the face. “It’s not your fault. It’s nothing you’ve done wrong, nothing wrong with you.” He put his hand on Prompto’s head. “If you gotta be a wolf a few days a month, that’s fine. We’ll make this work.”

Prompto sagged with relief, and Gladio couldn’t help but think how unfair this all was, that Prompto, usually so bubbly and friendly, so damn normal in a world where everything around Gladio was fragile and important, had this burden to bear and had borne it alone this long. “We’re with you, kid.” He patted Prompto on the back and sat back to give Prompto some space to breathe it out. 

Then, Prompto glanced up, and his eyes landed on Gladio’s chest. His brow furrowed, and he extended his hand. “Hey - uh-”

The scratches. Gladio glanced down at them, and smirked back at Prompto. “You gave me those in the shower when I was washing rabbit guts out of your fur.”

Prompto’s jaw fell open like a prize was about to pop out of him, but instead all that came out was an undignified squeak. Gladio couldn’t stop himself from laughing out loud. “We’re gonna work on that! I’ll train you to be a proper wolf, just you wait.” 

Ignis stirred, roused by the noise, and Noctis groaned and slapped at Gladio’s leg as if he could “snooze” him. Gladio just grinned and sat forward. “Come on, kid. Let’s talk about attack dog training.” 

Gladio hadn’t thought much about full moons before, but now he got it. This would definitely change how he looked at the skies, and at his friend. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art for this chapter by [Alassa!](https://twitter.com/artofalassa) And if you're reading this before November 8 and love Promptio (this fic is gen but who doesn't love a little Promptio?), preorder her Promptio book!


	5. Prompto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto reflects on his friends and how they've treated him since learning his secret and asks the hard question:
> 
> Is he _really_ a good boy?

**5: Prompto**

Prompto lost about three days a month. Every month, the three days around a full moon would be a blank to him, empty space. He’d wake up when the moon shifted away from him, confused and wondering what had happened while he’d been not-himself, and hoping and praying he hadn’t hurt anyone or done serious damage.

It was why his parents had locked him up, why he’d followed suit and put himself in a locked room and hidden himself away for as long as he had. He didn’t want to hurt anyone, and he didn’t want to give anyone cause to hurt him. It didn’t matter what he did when he was transformed, as long as he could change back and be himself again. Be Noctis’ best friend, Ignis’ companion, Gladio’s buddy. Those three days were just empty space, and that was all they needed to be.

Then, Ignis, Noctis, and Gladio had found their way into that space, and Prompto was finding that it was much more full.

In the six months since Ignis had first kept him company during his transformation, he had begun to find he had memories of his time as a wolf. 

He could recall Ignis’ fingers at the edge of his bowl, the fresh meat smelling so delicious that his mouth watered, decorated with the scent of Ignis’ skin and cologne. He recalled devouring the meal with gusto, with Ignis’ work-weathered digits weaving into the thick fur between his ears and scratching his skin, and his gentle voice whispering, “You’re a good boy, you are.” He recalled Ignis running with him until his legs were tired, the only one able to truly keep up with his footspeed, and laying with his head on Ignis’ thigh as Ignis read in the evening. 

He remembered Noctis being there when he looked up from his transformation, his messy black hair hanging in his eyes as he leaned forward to examine him. “You’re okay, Prompto,” he’d tell him, then the toys would come out. He felt a thrill of delight when Noctis played tug of war with him, when he’d throw the frisbee, or when they’d sit together on the sofa and Noctis would rub his back as he chewed on the antler. Noctis rubbed his belly when he lay on his back. Noctis took him to the park and walked him, even though he had to keep him from chasing and killing raccoons and the other unfortunate fauna. “You’re a pain in the ass, buddy,” Noctis laughed, panting as he pulled Prompto back from barking up a tree. 

He could keenly remember Gladio taking him to the Glaive arena and teaching him simple commands, first “sit” and “stay,” and then more complicated things like “left” and “right,” how to run obstacle courses. He laughed and praised him whenever Prompto mastered a new trick, “God damn, if you’re not the smartest dog we’ve ever seen!” Gladio set up cloth and straw dummies wearing MT helmets and taught him to attack on command, and he’d topple them over and tear them apart at Gladio’s whistle. Then, at the end of the day, Gladio would take him back to his little apartment, where Noctis was already doing his homework at the table - now with four chairs - and Ignis was reviewing his paperwork, and Gladio would pat him all over before letting him off his lead. “Attaboy. Look who’s missed you today.”

When he’d come to after shifting back into his human form, it was to Ignis pouring him a glass of water, Noctis putting a blanket over him, then offering him clean clothes, and Gladio checking him for any injuries he might have taken. They sat with him as he came back to reality, and Prompto had never felt more human after a transformation as he did when the others were there with him. 

He felt better than he had in ages, but knowing a little of what he was like when he wasn’t completely himself just made him worry. He still wasn’t sure the others liked him when he was himself, sometimes. How did they feel about the other side of him?

“You’re asking if I have an opinion of you as a wolf?” Ignis furrowed his brow and paused in washing out the dish he’d served Prompto his meals in, a red bowl Ignis had custom-embossed with a P. “I suppose it’s about the same as my opinion of you as a young man.” Prompto’s heart sank - he knew his own opinion of himself well enough, but then, Ignis put on a mild smile and continued scrubbing out the dishes. “Really, it’s been interesting, learning about how to best handle you. I always enjoy a challenge, but really, all you needed was a little understanding and patience. After that, it’s just been a little change in the routine.” He put the dish in the rack and dried his hands, then faced Prompto with that same smile. “Quite honestly, it’s nice. Besides, Noctis likes dogs, though he prefers cats, and Lady Lunafreya has two dogs which, quite frankly, I anticipate having to care for myself someday.” His eyes crinkled with mirth. “That will be nothing after having to convince you not to jump through a television to sate your prey drive for cats.”

“You think so, huh?” Prompto smiled weakly back, but thought of Lady Lunafreya and her dogs, of finding Tiny once and scruffing her by the back of the neck and taking her home, licking her wounds and sharing his dog bowl with her. Tiny had cuddled up alongside him, and Prompto had his first friend during any of his transformations. “I… I bet you’ll be good with them. You’re good with me.”

“I’m grateful you think so,” Ignis chuckled, then returned to cleaning up the kitchen.

Gladio was finishing stitching up a tear in the sofa when Prompto asked him. He actually barked out a broad laugh. “You kidding me? You being a werewolf is the coolest thing about you.” 

“Gladio!” Prompto moaned and flopped dramatically onto the sofa beside him, but Gladio slapped his leg.

“Watch it, I’m trying to hold this thing together a little longer. But I’m only exaggerating a little, you hear?” Glado winked at him, then focused on his stitching again. “I like dogs. You’re basically just a big, wild-looking dog, and it’s nice that you can keep up with me. It’s been a cool way to get to know you a little better.” He pulled the needle through as he talked, but his eyes kept flashing towards Prompto. “Helped me appreciate all sides of you, you know?” Then, he nudged Prompto’s side with his elbow, quirking an eyebrow. “Been thinking of adding an attack dog to Noct’s retinue anyway. Maybe when you’re a little older, I’ll take you to the ring and train both parts of you.” Prompto flushed, and Gladio laughed and mussed his hair. “How would you like that?”

“I think I’d love it.” Prompto sat up, just as Gladio broke off the thread and smoothed over the fresh seam.

“Then it’d be my pleasure to train you.” From Gladio’s fierce smile and the shine in his eyes, Prompto knew he meant it.

Later, when Noctis spread out the copy of his notes on their schoolwork for the days Prompto had missed, Prompto had to ask him the same thing: “Hey, it doesn’t bug you, right?” 

“What?” Noctis raised an eyebrow, and Prompto lost the will to meet his eyes, shoulders hunched.

“Um. The whole. Werewolf. Thing.”

Now Noctis rolled his eyes so hard Prompto could feel it without looking. “Sure, it bugs me that my best friend is a big fluffy puppy who likes playing tug-of-war and chasing rodents in the park. Worst thing in the world.”

“Dude.”

“Prompto, I told you. You’re my best friend.” Noctis pushed his shoulder, then flicked his forehead to make him look up. “I’m just mad you kept your fluffy puppy side all to yourself for so long.”

“Dude!” Prompto whined and rubbed his forehead. “It’s-”

“I understand why you did it. I’m not actually mad. I get it, there are things you just don’t know how to talk about. You don’t know who you can trust.” Noctis leaned forward. “But I’m glad you decided you could trust me.” 

“You’re my friend,” Prompto mumbled, as Noctis shuffled his chair a little closer to Prompto’s. “I just… it always felt like such a huge secret, even though I never knew why. Like it was something to be ashamed of, like my life would be ruined if anyone ever found out.”

“You shouldn’t have to feel that way about who you are.” Noctis slid his arm around Prompto’s shoulder and leaned in. “It’s just part of you. It’s like how you love taking photographs of everything, and your weird morning jogging routine, and eating spicy peppers. I like being around you just because you’re you, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a person or a wolf.” He leaned his head on Prompto’s shoulder. “You make me happy. Yeah, it’s a pain keeping you from running off and killing rabbits, but you would never hurt us. You’ve had so many chances to try and you never have.” 

Prompto sagged against him. Now that he could remember his “episodes” of being a wolf, he never had, had he? Never sincerely. He’d jumped on Gladio and Ignis, but Ignis out of excitement and Gladio, because he’d appeared to be attacking Noctis. He’d showed teeth and growled, but he’d never actually snapped his jaws at any of them. Rabbits and other wild animals, sure, but not his friends. Maybe he’d known it was them deep down, even if he didn’t consciously remember. 

“I haven’t… I haven’t hurt anyone.” He said it out loud like hearing it in his own voice might make him believe it more.

“Right.” Noctis smiled and slid his fingers into Prompto’s hair, scratching him behind the ears. “You’re kind of a pain sometimes, but mostly, you’re just Prompto. We like you just the way you are.” 

He was a nuisance at worst, and man’s best friend at best.

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/185425540@N02/50549076076/in/dateposted-public/)

“Thank you,” Prompto whispered, and finally wrapped both arms around Noctis in return. 

Prompto had never really thought about the hows and whys of his transformation, what Niflheim might have done to change him, always dodging away from the lament of “why me” in a desperate effort to avoid thinking about it unless he absolutely had to, but now that he finally felt settled with the reality of it, he decided it didn’t especially matter. It wouldn’t change anything - nothing important, anyway. He would probably transform for the rest of his life, but at least he had his friends to support him, as a man or as a wolf, because both of them were him and they loved him. 

Prompto didn’t need to ask any other questions. He was good, and that was all he needed to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art for this chapter by [Idefix!](https://twitter.com/Faufix)
> 
> All's well that ends well, right? Certainly no questions left unanswered, right?
> 
> But what about when they go on the road?


	6. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the road, when everything else is constantly in flux, the one thing that remains consistent is that Prompto changes under the full moon...

**Epilogue:**

The path out of the Citadel and towards Altissia had been rocky enough. None of them had expected to be traveling that long. However, none of them had any excuse for being surprised when Prompto began twitching and snarling in his seat about three weeks after the fall of Insomnia, and Ignis pulled over just in time to help Prompto out of the car and out of his uniform before he twisted shape into the familiar big yellow wolf they all knew and adored. Noctis just sighed from the back seat and leaned over towards Prompto.

“Hey, buddy. Sit.” He snapped his fingers, and Prompto lowered his haunches, still panting. “Think you can be good on the Regalia’s seats?”

“Shit,” Gladio groaned, and reached into his back pocket. “Did we bring any of his toys or treats?”

“No, they’re all back at his apartment at home.” Ignis finished folding Prompto’s uniform and dismissed it to the Armiger as Noctis grimaced at the mention of ‘home,’ then stroked Prompto down his mane. “But since our home is wherever we make it, we’ll simply have to make do.” 

“Yeah.” Noctis sighed, then patted the passenger side headrest. “Come on, Prompto! We’re going on a car ride!”

Prompto, clearly familiar with the term, reared back with a glimmer of excitement in his eyes, then launched himself into the car like a shot out of a sling. Noctis chuckled and fluffed his ears, as Ignis circled back around to the driver’s side of the Regalia, adjusted his gloves, then scratched between Prompto’s ears again.

“Good boy,” he said softly, and drove off again.

Perhaps it should have been a comfort that Prompto still changed. Ironically, Prompto’s transformation was one of the few things that hadn’t changed since they’d left home. 

Ignis tried to stop at a motel, but returned to the car only moments after they’d parked. He walked to the reception, then about-faced to inform the others: “No pets allowed.” He’d scratched Prompto behind the ears, then circled back to the driver’s side door. “Let’s find a haven, shall we?”

They didn’t have to drive far, only a few miles, but they threw out their anchor for the night at a parking spot near a haven rock rather far from civilization. The sun was setting as they made their way up the trail to the center of the runic circle, with Prompto bounding a few steps ahead. Gladio whistled in that way Noctis knew was meant for Prompto when he was a wolf, and Prompto’s ears perked, and his backside hit the rock. 

“Stay on the rock, alright?” Gladio stomped his foot on the ground. “Stay where we can see you.”

Prompto cocked his head a few times, his huge ears flopping to and fro, before he began to bound circles around the edge of the haven, barking happily. Gladio chuckled, scraping his hair back. “I think he understood me.”

“He generally prefers to remain near us,” Ignis remarked as he set up his tools next to the camp stove, mise-en-place just the way he liked it. “The same as when he’s human, really. Safety in numbers.” 

“Yeah,” Noctis said absently over the tent pegs, watching Prompto as he circled the edge of the haven. He seemed to be looking for something, and from the way he kept sniffing the air, Noctis was inclined to let him observe and see what it was he was sensing.

“Keeping a watch for the MTs for us?” he asked in Prompto’s general direction. Prompto perched on the very edge of the rock, nose lifted to the air. Noctis smiled at the thought of Prompto as a loyal watchdog, caring for his friends however he could. “Thanks, buddy.” 

Ignis prepared grilled steak and a tartare for Prompto, but by the time he’d prepared Prompto’s bowl, the sun was down, and Prompto didn’t move from the edge of the haven plinth, instead gazing into the distance. Ignis stroked his mane, but Prompto was stiffly staring out over the edge. 

Night fell like a curtain slowly draping over the sky as they ate. When the full moon crested the distant hills, shining white onto the barren wastes of the Leide desert and the winding stretch of road and crooked street lamps, Prompto began to howl. The first howl, long and loud, made all of them start, and they turned in their chairs to watch as Prompto tossed his head back and cried to the moon. Noctis breathed a sigh of relief when he identified the howl as Prompto, and Ignis chuckled through his nose. Gladio laughed too.

“Attaboy, that’s how wolves do it!” He threw his head back and howled too, “OW-OW-AWOOOOOOO!” Prompto howled again, louder and longer, and Noctis swatted Gladio’s arm.

“Quit that.” Glaring at Gladio for a moment, he turned back towards Prompto as he wound up to howl again. “Don’t egg him on, he’s probably just howling at other wolves or something.”

Gladio snorted and kicked dust up as he stretched his legs out in front of his chair. “There aren’t any wolves in this part of Lucis, from what I know.”

“Right, so it’s unfair.” Prompto’s call echoed into the distance, and Prompto paused only long enough to catch his breath, then kicked up and howled again. Noctis craned his neck around towards Prompto. “Don’t get his hopes up.”

“Whatever.” 

After that, Prompto’s howling matched the whistling wind over the bluffs, on and on and on. He howled as Ignis cleaned up the grill, and as Noctis cleaned Prompto’s gun for him. He kept howling, over and over, louder and louder, as the skies went dark but for the brilliant smattering of stars like buckshot scars against the curtain of night and the full moon beaming down. Once their tasks were done for the night, the dinner dishes cleaned and the supplies put away, Ignis stood and contemplated Prompto from behind his chair, tapping his chin, his brow furrowed. Noctis noticed, and called out to him.

“Something up, Ignis?”

“A thought.” Ignis glanced over his shoulder, the firelight catching his glasses in a way that made Noctis’ stomach flip-flop. “Prompto stated that he was removed from a laboratory in Niflheim, did he not? He stated that he was an experiment, a test subject.”

“Yeah.” Noctis felt a chill ripple down his spine, and beside him, Gladio tightened his hands into fists. 

Ignis hummed, expression unreadable but serious. “Tell me what you know about properly conducted scientific experiments.”

“You mean the scientific method?” Noctis frowned, wondering what Ignis was looking for as he scraped his own memory. “Uh. There are… rules?”

“Yes. An experiment must have defined boundaries. A time frame, a beginning and end point. An experiment must be repeatable. There are both control groups and variable groups; it’s never simply one plant receiving fertilizer and another receiving soda, if I recall your fourth grade science fair correctly.” 

Noctis’ ears turned red, but then what Ignis said registered in his mind: “Groups.”

“More than one. An entire row of plants.” Ignis turned back around to Prompto. “Or an entire nursery of Gralean infants.” 

The chill Noctis had been feeling turned into the sensation of being plunged into ice water. “You think Prompto’s not the only one.”

“Indeed.” Ignis paused, as Noctis tried to absorb the weight of that. How many kids went through whatever Prompto went through. How many children were barcoded like items. How could Niflheim do that to their own people? However, Ignis clearly had something else in mind: “Noctis, what use would the Empire have for wolves in human form?”

Noctis opened his mouth, but words never came. Instead, the air was filled with another sound: an answering howl, a rattling, ferocious noise just as loud as Prompto’s call, echoing all around the canyon. Gladio and Noctis both jumped from their seats, knocking the chairs back from the fire, and Ignis went rigid where he stood. At the edge of the haven, Prompto was bracing with all four paws on the ground, hips and shoulders squared, and he growled into the darkness. Tension as thick as granite filled the air, and though Noctis had presence of mind enough to right his chair before it could fall in the fire, Gladio ran right past him to the haven’s edge, and swore.

Noctis lifted his eyes to the sky, and saw glowing red eyes in the dark all along the bluffs; tens, one hundred, more in the distance. The shadows of wolves wearing strange armor plates circled the haven, edging back from its light but surrounding the plinth, and Gladio went rigid.

“They’re-” Gladio shook his head. “Shit.”

“Are those MTs?” Noctis felt like he couldn’t breathe, strangled as the wolves circled closer and closer like a noose around his neck, more and more gathering and Prompto had begun to growl and bark at them, every bit as ferocious as he had always feared he was in the face of these strangers.

“Prompto,” Ignis whispered, “is a good boy. But his brothers…”

The howling got louder.   


[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/185425540@N02/50528477746/in/dateposted-public/)

**Author's Note:**

> Prologue art by Kai! [@peachesand_jam](https://twitter.com/peachesand_jam) on Twitter!


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